A number of convent ional invention s related too emergency equipment for use in the case of automobile accidents are disclosed, including Japanese Laid-open Patents Nos. H9-198592, H6-28590, and H8-124069.
An emergency equipment of the prior art for use in the case of automobile accidents is described next with reference to a drawing. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the conventional emergency equipment for use in the case of automobile accidents. In FIG. 8, a vehicle location estimator 1 identifies the direction by integrating a gyro output, and its accumulated distance by integrating the output of the vehicle velocity pulse, while correcting its absolute position using a GPS (Global Positioning System), for example. The GPS identifies an absolute signal receiving position based on information transmitted from satellites. The present position of the vehicle is then calculated by finding the travel trajectory based on the direction and accumulated distance information. The vehicle's actual position may be more accurately identified by collating the current vehicle position or trajectory with map data stored typically on a CD-ROM or DVD.
An accident detector 2 is a device for recognizing whether an accident has occurred by means of either manual operation or detection of specific abnormalities in the car using an onboard sensor. For manual operation, one example is to provide a button for initiating the accident detector 2 near the driver's or the passenger's seat. The occurrence of an accident may also be detected by providing an acceleration sensor for detecting an impact of collision or a roll sensor for detecting overturning (by detecting the rolling of a small object inside, or using a gyroscope), and detecting any change in its output.
An external communicator 3 transmits information to prescribed addresses typically using a modem and mobile phone when the accident detector 2 detects the accident. Information communicated may include the vehicle owner, accident time, and the present position identified by the vehicle location estimator 1. Probable prescribed addresses may include a district police station or fire station for notifying the occurrence of an accident, and a rescue association if there is any damage to the vehicle.
Using the above configuration, any abnormalities such as accidents are promptly notified to prescribed addresses so that emergency situations such as vehicle breakdown or injury of the passengers due to an automobile accident can be promptly informed to the relevant external organizations.
With the above configuration of conventional emergency equipment for use in the case of automobile accidents, however, insufficient measures are provided with respect to the rescue or prolongation of the life of the persons in the vehicle, since the conventional equipment merely transmits information to the prescribed addresses.
In many automobile accidents, life is in danger even while the emergency is being reported. It may be further necessary to ask for help from nearby persons by publicly announcing the occurrence of an accident as soon as possible, or to apply first-aid treatment to prolong life until the rescue squad arrives.